Judge denies home detention in Stock case

A Boone County judge denied a man’s request for home detention on Tuesday afternoon, sending him back to jail for probation violations.

Cezan “C.J.” Stock and his attorney had requested the release from jail in October. Judge Jeff Harris rejected the request, citing two probation violations earlier this year.

Stock admitted that he possessed guns on at least two occasions in February and March, despite a condition of his probation banning it. Kevin O’Brien, Stock’s attorney, argued that none of Stock’s convictions are for violent crimes, and that several people sent letters to the court to back up Stock’s work ethic.

Stock’s mother, Andrea Brookins, walked out of the courtroom as Harris announced his decision.

“What do these people want from me?” she shouted from the hallway outside the courtroom.

Stock pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle and careless and imprudent driving, on Nov. 21. He received two years of probation, but Harris revoked that in June and sentenced him to one year in jail.

Stock’s request for home detention caused controversy within the city of Columbia last month. The Columbia Police Officer’s Association sent a letter to the city manager after learning that two employees of the city spoke in favor of Stock’s work release. City Manager Mike Matthes said that the employee should not have spoken on behalf of the office, but did feel like the city could offer Stock help in getting away from crime.

Assistant Prosecutor Jennifer Rodewald said that she opposed Stock getting any sort of conditional release. His knowing violations of his probation showed his “inability to be supervised.”

Stock said that he regretted possessing the weapons. He told Harris that he would successfully follow any rules the judge gave him, if released.

“I’m not a criminal,” Stock said. “I will do anything it takes to succeed in this.”

Adult Court Services, which completed the home detention study, recommended that Stock be put on GPS monitoring. He would be allowed to leave the house for school and work.

Brookins said that she would be willing to let police officers search the house if they suspected Stock might have a weapon. While she does own a gun, she said she would get rid of it so that Stock could live there.